There was a 17-point divide between Sheffield United and Stevenage in League One's final standings but nothing to choose between the sides when it mattered in the first leg of this play-off semi-final.

On the subject of divides, the two sides were competing five divisions apart as recently as 2007, but Stevenage will travel to Bramall Lane on Monday confident of over-taking their illustrious opponents given their dominance during large spells at the packed Lamex Stadium.

Gary Smith's side are still in the hunt for their third successive promotion while United are attempting to reverse the downward spiral in which they have been since their relegation from the Premier League in 2007.

But it was difficult to tell which side had racked up 90 league points and which had snuck into the division's final play-off berth this term. Craig Reid's 25-yard effort, which came back off the bar, was the closest either side came in a clash which crackled with nervous excitement but lacked any real cutting edge.

The visitors had operated mainly on the counter-attack throughout the first half but began to flex their muscles midway through the second half.